And Then There Were Two
by Evanescent Samurai
Summary: The Disciplinary Committee formed with three members, Yuki, Zero, and halfblood named Ichigo as proof to the Headmaster's pacifist ideology. But, when Ichigo's life begins to spin out of control, his belief is threatened by a broken young woman. some KuxO
1. Twilight

_Beasts in human form… a vampire._

_At Cross Academy, there are two classes, a Day class and a Night class. When the Day class retires to their dorm, the Night class emerges from the Moon dorm to attend class. The Day class treats the Night class like celebrities including the screaming fan girls. But, the Night class has a secret. All the students are vampires. Hence, the Disciplinary Committee was formed with three members: Yuki Cross, Zero Kiryuu, and Ichigo Yukimura…_

Chapter 1: Twilight

"Yuki." Yuki Cross barely stirred as her name was called repeatedly by the History teacher. "Ms. Cross, are you listening?" One of her classmates, Yuri, raised her hand tentatively.

"Sensei, Yuki's asleep," she informed him. The teacher sighed in frustration. Several times that week Yuki Cross had fallen asleep in class as well as Zero Kiryuu. He considered calling on Zero for the answer, but when he glanced over at the pale-haired youth's desk, Zero was asleep as well.

"Supplementary classes for both of you," he sighed. "Class is dismissed." Yuki yawned and stretched her arms. She noticed how quickly the class size had reduced since she last saw them.

"Supplementary classes again," Yuri informed her. "Geez, lately you've been really weird lately." Yuki rubbed her sleepy eyes and yawned again.

"What do you mean?"

"You come back to your dorm early in the morning," Yuri explained, "and then you sleep through class. You're out practically all night. You're like a—"

_Don't say…_

"—like a vampire," Yuri grinned. Yuki nearly jumped out of her chair. Did Yuri know about the Night Class' secret?!

"D-do you believe in vampires?" Yuki asked tentatively as she put her textbooks in her bag. Yuri shook her head.

"I was only joking, Yuki," she sighed. "Lighten up a little." Yuki feigned a grin as Yuri left for her next class.

"That's attractive," Zero muttered sarcastically. Yuki's face dropped as she turned to face her second partner on the Disciplinary Committee. For as long as she had known him, Zero had always been quiet, and when he did speak his words were cold. His hate of all Vampires could easily be heard in his voice. His pale hair playfully fell across his piercing blue eyes, and he brushed it from his face again. "You ready to meet with Ichigo?" he asked. Yuki nodded and shifted the strap on her shoulder.

Ichigo Yukimura, the third member of the Disciplinary Committee, wasn't nearly as cold as Zero. Born of Vampire and Human parents, she was the model example of the Headmaster's pacifist ideology. Recently she had transferred out of the Day class into the Night class, due to her Vampiric blood acting up and causing her pain. Her father, the source of her vampire lineage, disappeared after his wife, Ichigo's mother, died by another vampire's fangs. The Headmaster at Cross Academy offered to take her in as his own child like he had Yuki and Zero, but Ichigo refused, saying that she could make it on her own. As a result, when the Committee formed, Headmaster Cross put Ichigo on the team because of her lineage, as a perfect example to the Night class students of his idea of pacifism between Vampires and Humans.

"There she is," Yuki said, her finger pointing at a lovely young girl already wearing her Committee badge. Ichigo's lineage was obvious; she had received the beauty only seen in the Night class students. Long black hair softly framed her elegant face, paling her skin more than it naturally was. Her icy, crimson eyes, inherited from her father, surveyed everything with precision. Despite her beauty, Ichigo still wore cheap shadow and thick liner on her eyes, and she dyed various colors into her hair. Today her makeup followed a purple theme, darkening the color of her eyes tenfold, and her hair also matched with purple-colored ends.

As Yuki looked closer at Ichigo's appearance, she realized there was something wrong with Ichigo's uniform. She nervously cast a glance to her left, to her right, hoping that none of the faculty would see her out-of-uniform partner.

"Ichigo, again?" Zero grumbled as he lightly tugged at her shirt collar. Ichigo slapped the back of his hand, and then she resumed her position leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Instead of the standard girls' uniform, Ichigo had donned the boys' uniform: white slacks, a white jacket over a black shirt, and white dress shoes. She looked good in either uniform, but she preferred the boy's uniform to the one she was supposed to wear. "So, how many demerits did you get today for wearing this?"

"I'm trying to make a statement, Zero," she said, ignoring his question. "I refuse to wear that girly uniform. I'd rather be a cross-dresser than wear a skirt."

"Headmaster Cross will be pissed," Zero muttered to himself. "Go ahead and wear your stupid uniform." Ichigo slammed her fist against the wall.

"You could at least speak to me like I'm Human," she said. "I'm not completely Vampiric, you know." When Zero didn't reply, Ichigo tore her badge off her arm and threw it on the ground.

"Screw this shit," she growled. "I'm going to class."

"Ichigo, wait," Yuki pleaded. "Zero's always like this, even around me!" Zero shoved his fists into his pockets.

"I can hear you," he mumbled. Yuki punched his arm.

"It's your grumpiness that drove her off!" she snapped. "We need her. It's difficult with just us two."

"She skips out enough, so we know what to do," Zero informed her. "Lets get to work."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ichigo shifted the weight of her book bag on her shoulder. No one had offered to walk with her, and she didn't feel like asking anyone.

What's the point? They'll turn me away, just like before.

Ichigo gasped as a pair of rowdy students pushed past her, knocking her bag out of her grasp.

"Loser!" they jeered, grinning mischievously. Ichigo grumbled curses under her breath as she bent down to gather her scattered papers.

"Stupid pricks… now I'm gonna be late again," she muttered.

"Excuse me, do you need any help?"

"I'm just fine!" Ichigo snapped. "You friggin'—" She looked up from the pile of schoolwork into the lustrous eyes of Kaname Kuran, her new class president. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered. "I thought it was those jerks that knocked me down."

"No," Kaname smiled. "You don't need to apologize." He stooped down and gathered a handful of papers. "Here you go." Ichigo tentatively took the papers from his hand.

"Th-thank you," she murmured.

"Where's your first class?" Kaname asked. "I can walk you there, if you like." Ichigo's heart suddenly stopped beating. She felt as if she would fall over any minute. Kaname gently grasped her chin. "Are you all right?" he asked. "You seemed to have stopped breathing." Ichigo gasped for breath as her heart jumped, beating quickly to pace her disturbed heart rate.

"Huh?" she asked, rising slowly to her feet. "It's nothing," she assured him. "I was just a little startled." She gathered her papers and books into her arms, forcefully shoving them all into her book bag. Kaname smiled and shook his head, his princely hair gently swaying across his eyes.

"If you're sure," he said, "then, we should get to class. We'll be late if we don't get moving." Ichigo quickly stood at attention, her bag spilling over with papers.

"Right," she said. "I can't afford another demerit, or else I'll be stuck here until _after_ I graduate." Kaname chuckled softly.

"Come," he smiled. "If you're with me, I promise that you won't get another demerit." Ichigo gasped as Kaname tenderly touched her hand. "So, why do you wear the wrong uniform?" he asked.

"I hate the girls' uniform," Ichigo replied, swinging her bag as she talked. "It makes me feel unnatural. I can't stand skirts. I don't know why. The Headmaster told me that as I kid I hated dresses and refused to wear them, that I preferred Zero's clothes or his clothes over my own." Kaname smiled again as he held the door open for Ichigo to pass first.

"So, it's rebellion," he murmured. "How cute." Ichigo glanced up at the enormous analogue clock positioned on the wall in the school lobby. The bell was going to ring in a few minutes, and she wasn't even close to her first class.

"I'm sorry," she said, bowing low, "I really have to hurry to English language. I can't be late." Kaname gently grabbed her wrist.

"I'm headed that way myself," he smiled. "We'll walk together if you don't mind." Ichigo shook her head, and she dashed down the hall.

"Sorry!" she shouted. "I can't be late!" Kaname chuckled softly to himself, and he continued on to his class.

Ichigo raced to her English language class. Her heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline throbbing in her veins, sweat beginning to pearl on her temples. She dreaded her language teacher's booming voice, especially as he gave her another demerit for whatever reason he saw fit.

"That bastard better not lock the door this time," she muttered. As often as her teacher gave her demerits, Ichigo had sworn that he was out to ruin her. But, not this time. Ichigo would make it to class on time, satanic teacher or not.

Suddenly a long arm reached out, and caught Ichigo's jacket. Ichigo sputtered profanity as her breath was knocked from her lungs.

"Damn it!" she snapped, throwing her bag on the floor. "You jerk, now I'm going to be late for cl—" A hand clapped over Ichigo's mouth, and it pinched her nose shut. Ichigo struggled to break free of her captor. She kicked her legs, thrashed her arms, but in vain. Her captor soon grew irritated with her movements, and he struck her on the back of her head with his palm. Ichigo fell forward, and hung limp on his arm. Her captor kicked her school bag out of his way as he made his way toward a large window. He muttered curses as he jiggled the window lock open with his free hand. At last, he threw the window open, and he leapt into the branches of a nearby tree. In only a few bounds he had made it halfway across the campus.

When he finally paused to catch his breath, he was crouching on top of the wall surrounding Cross Academy. Grinning wickedly, he stroked Ichigo's hair, and whispered, "What a lovely face for a half-blood. You will most definitely be most delightful." Having spoken to her unconscious body, the captor jumped down the wall outside the school grounds, and he dashed into the woods.


	2. Evening

When [Ichigo's captor finally paused to catch his breath, he was crouching on top of the wall surrounding Cross Academy. Grinning wickedly, he stroked Ichigo's hair, and whispered, "What a lovely face for a half-blood. You will most definitely be most delightful." Having spoken to her unconscious body, the captor jumped down the wall outside the school grounds, and he dashed into the woods.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Chapter 2: Evening

Yuki sighed as she plugged the hair dryer's cord into an outlet. She was worried for Ichigo, since she had stormed off to class after Zero had only made a few snide comments. Typically, she ignored Zero's remarks regarding her uniform, but that evening was a blatant exception.

_Ichigo, are you really so mad that you won't see us after class?_

Already, Kaname had dismissed the Night classes for the night, and he reported Ichigo's absence to the Headmaster. Not that skipping classes was unusual for Ichigo; in fact, she considered it one of her hobbies. But, when Kaname had arrived in Headmaster Cross' office, his handsome face was darkened by worry. Ichigo was under his watch, according to the headmaster, and she was to be kept nearby in case something should happen to his perfect pacifism model.

Yuki turned the dryer on, enduring the hot air as it slowly burned her wet hair dry. She cast a glance at Ichigo's dyes lined up next to the sink, which was stained with a black ring from her previous dye job. The dyes were all made by Ichigo herself, but they smelled awful, almost like vinegar and sulfur. Still, Yuki couldn't help but worry while she stared at the dye bottles.

"Thinking about joining Ichigo's mini-cult of delinquent-ism?" Zero asked sarcastically. "You'd look funny with pink hair." Yuki switched off her hair dryer.

"No," she replied. "Kaname said that she didn't show up for class again."

"So?" Zero shrugged. "She almost always skips her classes."

"Yeah, but Kaname is worried about her," Yuki said. "He thinks something bad might have happened to her."

"Well, staring at her hair dye isn't going to bring her to her class," Zero muttered. "It'll only kill your nose. Besides, the worst she could have done by now is get into a street fight with a gang of drug dealers. Don't worry about it. When she comes back, the first place she'll go is wherever Kaname is, so relax."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ichigo moaned loudly, rolling onto her side. Her the back of her head pounded in pain, and she couldn't lift her hands to soothe her sore. She glared at the ropes twisted around her wrists and feet, praying that if she stared at them long enough, they would dissolve into ashes. At last, she sighed and leaned her head against the hard floor.

"Damn migraine," she whispered. "How did I get one, anyways?" She suddenly vomited on the floor beside her. She gasped for air, her throat burning. She cringed at the puddle of blood and bile by her hands.

_How the hell…?_

"Ah, you're awake." Ichigo froze. The harsh voice grated against her eardrum, even as it continued to chuckle. She didn't roll over to see who was speaking; the voice scared her enough.

_Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!_

A large hand grasped a piece of Ichigo's hair. "You're so soft, little half-blood." She felt warm air on her neck as her captor leaned closer to her nape, his nose brushing her hairline. "And, you smell so sweet." Ichigo could barely see his face in the dim light. She could make out a thin mustache of dark hair above a pair of thin lips, and hairs newly grown on his chin.

_What's he doing? Why is he touching me?_

Ichigo rolled her shoulder, pushing the stranger's face from her neck. Quickly, though, his hand took the place of his face on Ichigo's neck. He leaned on his other hand across her body, not realizing the sick mess that Ichigo had left on the floor until he had already set his hand in it.

"What the—Disgusting!" he shouted, tearing his hand out of the vomit. "You bitch, you did that on purpose!" He swung his puke-covered hand and struck Ichigo's face. "You're really gonna pay for that one, little girl. It's not nice to throw up just so someone can put his hand in it."

"But, I was sick!" Ichigo protested. "You can't just say I did that on purpose. I really had to puke, damn you!" Before she could protect her actions any further, her cheek met again with her captor's wet hand.

"Shut up," he growled. He pinched her neck above her right shoulder, causing Ichigo to curl forward and scream as he squeezed the nerve tighter. "Now, be a good little half-blood, and maybe I won't hurt you too much." He began to peel back the collar of Ichigo's shirt, his tongue stroking her pale skin. "If only I could take from you like those beasts. I'm sure it would be most… electrifying." He slid a hand beneath her clothes, and he rolled Ichigo onto her back. "Be quiet," he murmured, "or I'll have to kill you when I'm through."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Zero yawned loudly while Headmaster Cross continued to speak to Kaname. The young aristocrat had already been in the headmaster's office for nearly two hours and without any good news regarding Ichigo's whereabouts.

"It's not like her to disappear for so long," Kaname informed the headmaster. "I'll go out into the city with some of the Night Class' student council members and find her. After all, she's my responsibility."

"Idiot," Zero muttered. "You'll all die."

"Zero, please," Headmaster Cross begged, "be polite to Kaname."

"It's all right, Headmaster," Kaname assured him. "Let him explain why he thinks your students will fail, and what course of action he would take." Zero straightened his slouched posture, annoyed and amused by Kaname's reaction.

"Whoever took Ichigo isn't some low-level vampire," Zero began. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to get in here without seeming suspicious in the first place. Those vampires of yours should stay out of human affairs."

"Ichigo is half vampire," Headmaster Cross reminded his godson. "Don't forget that, Zero."

"I don't care if she's half buffalo," Zero continued. "The point is that Kaname should stay here in case Ichigo does return. We all know that she'll come to you, because she finally met you face to face, right? So, Kaname has to stay here. Instead of sending out a troop of vampires into the city streets, Yuki and I can go instead." Headmaster Cross opened his mouth to protest, but Zero cut him off. "Headmaster, I know you'd rather have Ichigo come home alive. Sending the vampires into town might make the situation worse." The headmaster nodded sadly, and he leaned back in his chair.

"Alright, Zero," he said. "You and Yuki will look for Ichigo in town, and Kaname will stay here." Zero cast a smug look at Kaname, gripping the holster of his Bloody Rose gun.

Time for a hunt.


	3. Midnight

"Alright, Zero," [Headmaster Cross said. "You and Yuki will look for Ichigo in town, and Kaname will stay here." Zero cast a smug look at Kaname, gripping the holster of his Bloody Rose gun.

Time for a hunt.

_A/N: I don't know if this is the first time, but I'm starting to feel guilty abusing poor Ichigo like this… (a review from_ SaiWong-THESADIST _made me realize this.) But, I probably wouldn't be satisfied with this fan fiction if something wasn't happening at all. Thanks for all the reviews and +Story Alerts!_

_ /rant _

Chapter 3: Midnight

"We're what?" Yuki asked as she slid a pair of white knee-length socks. "Are you sure that she's in town, Zero?"

"I'm sure," Zero replied, looping rounds of Bloody Rose ammunition around his waist. He waited in the headmaster's office for Yuki to finish dressing, yawning loudly. "Damn," he murmured, "I'm tired."

"Alright, let's go!" Yuki dashed out the door, her hand wrapped around Zero's wrist. "We have to find Ichigo!" Zero planted his feet firmly in the carpet. Yuki squealed and fell flat on her back. She rubbed her head, glaring at the ceiling. "That wasn't nice, Zero," she muttered. She rubbed her sore head while Zero sauntered past her body on the floor.

"I know," he said coolly, "but, you can't just run out like that. Ichigo's captor will bolt if you just run through the city streets like you did just now in the hall. And, chances are that he'll take Ichigo with him if he does decide to run." Yuki sighed.

_Why didn't I realize that sooner? Stupid, stupid!_

Zero continued past the lying Yuki, one hand in his pocket, the other on his gun. "Get up," he said. "We can't keep Ichigo waiting."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kaname silently watched the empty campus grounds from his dorm window. Ichigo's extended disappearance worried him even more, especially because of her lineage. Half-bloods were usually accepted by the vampire community, often for family ties or for vampirity's sake. However, they weren't usually accepted by humans, and humans controlled the city. Some citizens even killed vampires, despite the orders posted allover neighborhoods and shops by vampire hunters to leave such actions to the professionals.

_Ichigo could have killed by now_, he thought.

"Lord Kaname?" Kaname's eye shifted to the reflection of Ruka in the window. She stood at the door, wringing her hands nervously. Kaname smiled as he turned to the lovely vampire. He strode across the room

"Ruka," he said, "you should be resting. Dawn will arrive soon, and I expect you to be sleeping by then."

"I know, Lord Kaname," Ruka murmured. "I was just wondering—" Kaname gently pressed a finger against Ruka's lips.

"Ruka, no," he said quietly. "I won't drink your blood again. I don't need to. I feel fine." Ruka's cheeks began to turn pink, embarrassed that Kaname already knew what she came for. She bowed low, her blond hair touching Kaname's feet. The young aristocrat placed his hand on Ruka's shoulder. "If you're upset because I'm worried about Ichigo, you can just say so, Ruka." Ruka gasped silently. Kaname had known all along.

"Why do you have to be so worried about her?" Ruka whined. "She's just a half-blood. She's not worth your time, Lord Kaname. Choose me inste—"

"That's enough, Ruka!" Kaname ordered. Ruka fell silent as Kaname spun on his heel and walked back to the window. "Do you understand the importance of Ichigo's well-being? She's under the custody of Headmaster Cross. Not only that, but she's his only living proof of his human-vampire pacifism ideology. If she were to die, he would have no proof, and he would lose a special girl."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Yuki and Zero slid through the city streets in their search for Ichigo. Backs against the wall, weapons poised to destroy any obstacles, they combed through dark alleys and abandoned buildings. Yuki listened for Ichigo's voice; a whisper, a scream, anything would satisfy her ears.

"Whoever took Ichigo," Zero said, "is a master strategist. He knows that people will come looking for her, so he'll hide in an obvious place." Yuki raised her eyebrow in confusion.

"An obvious place?" she wondered. "Why would he hide there?"

"Because," Zero explained, "most search parties only search where they think someone on the run would hide, but what if he hid out in the open? He'd become less conspicuous because the search party isn't expecting to find him there."

"So, he's hiding in a crowd?" Yuki asked. "It makes sense! But, wouldn't someone catch him? I mean, Ichigo's pretty vocal. He'd have to be really stupid to drag her into a crowd of people."

"Not into an actual crowd," Zero murmured as he approached a large hotel. "A crowded place." Yuki gasped. All the windows on the building were illuminated by lights. Both students could see into the large window, where they saw a bar packed with drunk men and women. Overly-drunk customers were chasing sober (or lack there of) guests across the main floor. The other four stories rose high above Yuki and Zero, but were just as full as the main floor. Yuki caught sight of the hotel's sign; a garish, neon sign that read, 'Rabu Rabu Hotel.'

"A love hotel?!" Yuki snapped. "Zero, you pervert!" She punched his arm, but he didn't move.

"She's in there," he said, "somewhere on one of the upper levels." He cast Yuki a stern glance. "The lobby is too crowded. He wouldn't get away with bringing a vampire into such a large crowd without causing an uproar." Suddenly, a tall, lean man threw open the lobby doors, and he stomped outside. He slid into a black trench coat, grumbling to himself. He pushed past Yuki as he stomped away from the love hotel.

"Hey!" Yuki chirped. The man shot her a icy glare over his shoulder as he quickened his pace and hurried away. Yuki noticed a cut above his right eye. Blood trickled down the side of his face, avoiding his eye altogether. "Zero," Yuki whispered, pulling Zero's ear closer to her mouth, "looks like he got into a fight with somebody. He's got a cut above his eye." Zero squinted to examine the man's injury from so far away.

"You're right," he said. "C'mon, let's go get Ichigo." He jogged to the building, and he examined the front entrance. "We're going to the second floor," he said.

"Why?"

"I can smell Ichigo's blood."

Zero ran into the hotel, Yuki trailing behind him. The smell of alcohol and smoke overwhelmed his nose, almost to the point of losing Ichigo's scent. Beer mugs and bodies shoved him in places on his body that he never realized existed until he was touched. He seized Yuki's hand, and he began to drag her through the crowd.

_I can't let anything happen to Yuki_, he thought. _Not after what we've been through together_.

"Zero," Yuki tried to shout above the noise, but with no luck. He just kept pulling her past the customers' waving arms and dripping mugs.

At last, Zero and Yuki reached the second floor after wrestling through a drunken crowd and running up a flight of stairs that seemed to go on forever. Zero could smell Ichigo's blood clearly again, and he cringed as the scent became immensely strong.

"She's here," he said, "but we have to hurry. She's bleeding a lot." Yuki hurried down each door, listening for occupants before slamming herself into the wooden guardian to investigate the room on the other side. In the time it took for her to investigate two rooms, Zero had already inspected five, seeking the smell of Ichigo's blood on the other side of the door.

"Damn," he muttered. "Where the hell could she be? There's only so many rooms he could hide her in."

"Zero!" Zero spun around. Yuki had kicked open a door to a room three doors up from where he stood, and the stench of blood filled his nose. "Zero, I found her! I found Ichigo!" Yuki shouted from the room. "Hurry!"


	4. Dawn

"Zero!" Zero spun around. Yuki had kicked open a door to a room three doors up from where he stood, and the stench of blood filled his nose. "Zero, I found her! I found Ichigo!" Yuki shouted from the room. "Hurry!"

Chapter 4: Dawn

Headmaster Cross softly stroked Ichigo's hair while she slept. He was glad for her return, but he wished she could have arrived home in one piece.

When Zero and Yuki had found her, she was bleeding heavily and could barely move. Bruises covered her arms and face, and red marks on her torso and neck. Both students had carried Ichigo back to Cross Academy, all the while listening to her mumble, 'That bastard… I'll kill him… for what he did,' the whole way back. Now, with her wounds bandaged Ichigo had fallen asleep in the headmaster's bed.

"Ichigo," Headmaster Cross murmured, "my dear little girl." Quiet knocking ensued upon the door, and he invited his guest into the room with a simple, "Come in." Kaname softly closed the door behind him, and he sat on the bed beside Ichigo.

"It's my fault," he said, "that Ichigo got into this mess. I didn't keep a close enough watch on her." Headmaster Cross smiled.

"Not at all," he replied. "You said she was well on her way to class. Her kidnapper knew this, and he took advantage of it." He sighed loudly, watching Ichigo's peaceful sleep. "He took advantage of _her_, and everything that she was. She can't help but be victimized." Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Kaname hiding a large yawn. "You can go to bed, Kaname," he chuckled. "Ichigo won't be awake for some time now." Kaname shook his head, shrugging off any more yawns he had.

"I'll wait for her," he replied. "Although, I don't think she'll be pleased to see me." He leaned over Ichigo's face, blowing softly into her bangs. Smiling, he watched Ichigo stir, and he leaned back in his chair. "Her headache should be gone now," he said. "Good night, Headmaster Cross." He shook the headmaster's hand. "I'll be back in a few hours. I hope Ichigo gets her rest."

Kaname soon returned to his own room in the Moon Dormitory just as the sun began to rise, brightening the dark blue sky little by little. He slipped out of his jacket, hung it on a nearby coat rack, and he flopped onto the loveseat opposite the door to his bedroom. He closed his eyes, and he fell into sleep, into dreams he had suppressed long ago but had been awakened by his stressing consciousness.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Lord Kaname, the _half-blood_ is here," Ruka said distastefully. Kaname looked up from his book. "The headmaster said that she's enrolling in the day class," Ruka continued. "Foolish little girl, does she really believe hiding with the humans will keep her safe?"

"That's enough, Ruka," Kaname said firmly. He put down his book on his seat, and he started down the stairs to he Moon Dormitory entrance.

"Wait, Lord Kaname!" Ruka pleaded. She ran down the steps, and she blocked the door with her body. "Don't go see her. Who knows what she'll do to you!" Kaname softly placed his hand on Ruka's head.

"She's a vampire also, Ruka," he said, "even if her blood doesn't run as deep as yours or mine." He opened the door and stepped outside. He gasped at the sight before him: blood splattered across the courtyard, the smell of a rotting body thick in the air. He caught sight of a body near the campus gates.

"Ichigo!" he cried. He darted to the body, suffocating in the smell of her flesh and blood. Kneeling beside her limp body, Kaname grasped a piece of her long, black hair. "Ichigo, what happened to you?" he asked, not expecting to get an answer from the corpse. Suddenly, a thin, wispy voice filled his ears.

"_That bastard… I'll kill him for what he did to me!"_

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Lord Kaname!" Ruka cried, shaking his shoulders firmly. "Lord Kaname, wake up!" Kaname's eyes shot open as he gasped for breath. His hair clung to his forehead and neck, and his clothes stuck to his skin. "Lord Kaname," Ruka smiled, her eyes red from crying. Kaname rubbed his eyes.

"Ruka?" he murmured. "What's wrong? You looks upset." Ruka wiped her eyes, sniffing back more tears.

"You looked so upset," she answered sheepishly. "You were calling Ichigo's name, Lord Kaname." Kaname placed his hand on Ruka's shoulder.

"That's enough, Ruka," he smiled. "No more crying." He sat up, and he let his hand fall. "I'm going to see Ichigo." Ruka sighed, her shoulders drooping. "Are you coming, Ruka?"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Ichigo, dear," Headmaster Cross cooed, gently stroking her hair, "wake up, Ichigo." He shook her shoulder slowly, waiting for her to snap at him for waking her up. "Ichigo, wake up. It's time to eat," he smiled. "I made your favorite food: yakisoba noodles with teriyaki chicken and stir-fried vegetables." He picked up an enormous tray of food and set it on his lap. As the sweet, mouth-watering scent of yakisoba began to fill the air, Ichigo stirred, only a little at first. Soon, she was sitting up, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Hey, old man," she mumbled, "are those noodles for me?" Headmaster Cross nodded, and he handed the bowl of steaming noodles and chicken to Ichigo's bandaged hands.

"How are you feeling, Ichigo?"

"Like shit," Ichigo replied, shoving noodles into her mouth. She chewed the food slowly, savoring the smoky, fried flavor. "I gotta say, old man, this is the best yakisoba you've made so far," she grinned, digging her chopsticks into the bowl for another mouthful. "Usually you burn it, or something like that." Headmaster Cross smiled while Ichigo ate. Still, he was afraid of what had happened to her when she had disappeared, but he couldn't ask something so serious when she finally looked like she was enjoying herself.

"Ichigo?" Ichigo turned away from her noodles, and gasped, noodles hanging out of her mouth.

"K-Kaname!" she gasped, quickly shoving the noodles in her mouth. "Oh, shit," she muttered, chewing them quickly behind her hands.

"Kaname," Headmaster Cross grinned, "welcome back. Ruka, nice to see you." Ruka's cheeks began to turn pink as she waved shyly to the headmaster.

"Ruka?!" Ichigo screeched, her mouth now clear of loose noodles. "What're you doing here?" Kaname smiled, sitting on the bed beside the now frantic half-blood.

"She came to see how you were doing," he said. "Now, calm down, Ichigo. You might re-open one of your wounds." A blank look came over Ichigo's pale face.

"Wounds?" she asked. "I got hurt?" She examined the bandages on her hands, her eyes slowly moving down her arms, her body, growing wider with each passing Band-Aid. "What the hell happened to me?" she asked quietly. Headmaster Cross grasped her hands and took a deep breath.

"Ichigo," he said, "you were raped." Ichigo stared at her bandages. The headmaster's words echoed in her mind over and over.

_Raped? I was… raped?_

Kaname touched Ichigo's shoulder, asking, "Ichigo, do you remember now? A man took advantage of you at the Rabu Rabu Hotel. Yuki and Zero came and saved you." Ichigo tightly gripped her noodle bowl as painful memories returned in a flash: strong hands on her body, the inability to escape, blood…

"No!" Ichigo screamed. She threw her bowl on the floor, noodles spilling at the headmaster's feet. "Make it all go away!" She clutched her head and curled forward, sobbing loudly into her blankets. "I want to die!" she cried. "I want… to…" Kaname stroked her hair.

"I know," he soothed, "it's going to be a hard road, but you can make it, Ichigo." Ruka bowed her head while Ichigo cried. For once, she felt sympathy for Ichigo, half-blood that she was. After all, she was still a vampire.

"_**She's a vampire also, Ruka, even if her blood doesn't run as deep as yours or mine."**_

Ruka covered her mouth with her hands, and she silently began to pray for Ichigo.

_God, please don't let her die. For Lord Kaname, please don't let her die._


	5. Morning

Ruka bowed her head while Ichigo cried. For once, she felt sympathy for Ichigo, half-blood that she was. After all, she was still a vampire.

"_**She's a vampire also, Ruka, even if her blood doesn't run as deep as yours or mine."**_

Ruka covered her mouth with her hands, and she silently began to pray for Ichigo.

_God, please don't let her die. For Lord Kaname, please don't let her die._

Chapter 5: Morning

Yuki stared out the window at the Moon Dormitory while her English language teacher lectured the class on the importance of punctuation. She wondered about Ichigo's condition. She had heard her screams earlier that morning when Kaname had come to visit, but she didn't go to see what was wrong. Zero had told her to leave the frightened girl alone.

"Miss Cross," her teacher said again, this time louder and with a yard stick in his hand. Yuki snapped face forward, her wide eyes staring intently at her teacher. "Miss Cross," he said, "please translate the passage in you book into Japanese." Yuki nodded, and she stood in her seat. Taking a deep breath, she read the passage from the book.

" 'Hardships come and go in our lives,' said the queen. 'In my daughter's case, it came, but never left. However, for her there is hope.' And, all the court leaned forward to hear their queen's exception. The queen, knowing how anxiously they waited for her to speak, took a drink from her goblet, and she continued, 'She can drive it away when she chooses. If she lets her hardships linger over her head, she will surely die of grief. Thus, her choice to live is based on her choice to let her pain go.' "

Yuki sat back down, and her teacher continued with his lesson. But, she didn't listen. Her thoughts lingered on the passage she read aloud, about the queen's daughter who was so saddened by her misfortunes that she was dying.

_That sounds just like Ichigo._

Yuki quickly raised her hand. "May I be excused?" she asked. "I don't feel well."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I'm sorry, Ichigo," Headmaster Cross soothed, gently squeezing her hand. "I can't do anything about it." Ichigo clutched her blankets, cursing under her breath with her head bowed low. "Ichigo," the headmaster pleaded, "don't start that. You know well that cursing won't do anything to stop it."

"It wasn't supposed to happen at all!" she snapped, pounding her fist into the mattress, only to whimper about the awakened bruises on her hand and favor her aching hand. "I don't want it. Do you hear me, old man? I said, I don't want it!"

"Don't want what?" Ichigo stopped cursing, and she faced the door, where Yuki stood, confused by the conversation she had just overheard.

"I don't want to talk about it," Ichigo muttered. "Go back to class." Yuki ignored Ichigo, and she greeted her father with a warm smile. She sat in a chair next to him, and they chatted for a few moments about the lessons she'd had so far, until Ichigo broke in, "Just go away, Yuki. This has nothing to do with you. It's my damn problem." Headmaster Cross gave Ichigo a stern look.

"If you won't tell her," he said, then I will." He turned to Yuki, gently taking her hands in his. "Yuki, dear," he began, "when Ichigo disappeared, she was raped by an unknown man. And now—" He cast a saddened glance at Ichigo, who was busying herself by fidgeting with her bandages. "—she's pregnant, Yuki."

"I'm not pregnant, old man!" Ichigo snapped as she clubbed his head with a pillow. "It's a lie!"

"Like I was saying," Headmaster Cross grinned nervously, "Ichigo's pregnant now, so you and Zero have to work alone for a little while longer."

"But, can you tell this early?" Yuki asked. "I mean, it's only been one day."

"With vampires," Ichigo murmured, "they can tell if they're pregnant within hours of getting knocked up. I'm half vampire, so the same applies to me. Weird, huh?" She leaned back into the pillows and sighed loudly. "So, the old man is hiring a nanny to watch over me," she grunted, jabbing her thumb at the headmaster. "I don't need one; he's just being a paranoid, old bastard." Yuki watched the headmaster busy himself with preparing tea, obviously ignoring Ichigo's snide comment. She sighed, and she handed her English textbook to Ichigo.

"What's this?" Ichigo asked, eyeing the book suspiciously. "Are you seriously trying to cram school down my throat while I'm in recovery?"

"There's a passage in here I want you to read," Yuki said, opening the book to the page she had read earlier in class. "It's in English, but it's not that hard to translate." Ichigo squinted at the letters, trying to read the passage in Japanese.

"I don't understand it," Ichigo muttered, pushing the book back into Yuki's hands. "I'm not… I'm not good at English language." Yuki giggled as Ichigo's cheeks began to turn pink with embarrassment. For Ichigo to admit she did poorly in something really bit at her pride, but at least, she was willing to admit her failure to Yuki.

"Then, I'll read it to you," Yuki smiled. She opened the book to the same page, and she translated the passage about the queen's daughter to Ichigo. The half-blood didn't seem to care at first, examining her nails and picking at her bandages while Yuki was reading. But, when Yuki reached the line about the choice to let go, Ichigo stopped pretending to be bored. She started to lean forward, wondering if there was more to the passage than just the queen's ranting.

"Wait, isn't there more?" Ichigo asked when Yuki stopped reading and closed the book. She took the book from Yuki's hands, flipping through the pages to find the passage she had just heard. She needed to know if there was more to read, and if not, if there was a book that the passage came from. She pointed to the title and author notation beneath the paragraph. "I want this book. Do you know where I can get it?" Yuki read the title silently.

"Yeah, I think the library has a copy of 'Her Daughter's Court'," she replied.

"I want my own copy," Ichigo said. "I need to go to town and buy my own copy of it." Headmaster Cross set a tray of tea and cups on the table beside Ichigo's bed.

"Absolutely not," he said, pouring a steaming cup of vanilla tea for Ichigo. "You're in no condition to leave your bed, let alone the campus. I'll send Zero and Yuki to get your book for you." Ichigo slouched back into the pillows and folded her arms.

"Paranoid old man," she grumbled.

Meanwhile, Zero listened outside the door. He shook his head and leaned against he wall.

_Damn. We didn't make it in time_, he thought. _Now, she's…_

Zero rubbed his eyes. "I need some sleep," he murmured. Looking over his shoulder into the room, he sauntered off to his room, where he laid down on his bed and closed his eyes to sleep.


End file.
